Cam plate dispensing mechanism



March 30, 1965 J. c. LINDSEY ETAL 3 CAM PLATE DISPENSING MECHANISM FiledJan. 29, 1965 s sheets-sheet 1 FIG. 1.

INVENTORS JAMES C. LINDSEY E EZANK A.M 'ROY @a/mwwn, WMYM ATTOR VZ'WMam}! 1965 J. c. LINDSEY ETAL CAM PLATE DISPENSING MECHANISM 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1963 19 FIG. 2. 22

INVENTORS JAMES C. LINDSEY BY FRANKA.M ROY ATTOFNE J March 30, 1965 J.c. LINDSEY ETAL CAM PLATE DISPENSING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJan. 29, 1963 INVENTORS JAMES C.LINDSEY FRANK A.MROY

' ea/nzmm, fmamv ATTORNEYS March 30, 1965 J. c. LINDSEY ETAL 3,175,728

CAM PLATE DISPENSING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 7% ATTURIVEYS March 30, 1965 J. 3. LINDSEY ETAL CAM PLATE DISPENSINGMECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1965 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS JAMES C.LINDSEY FRANK A. M ROY i ATTORNEYS are This invention relates tomechanisms for dispensing articles one at a time from a vertical stackof articles.

More particularly this invention relates to mechanisms for dispensingone article at a time from a vertical stack of articles in which upondeposit of a coin an electrically actuated solenoid moves a lock plateto release a pair of support rods which move to permit the article torest upon lowering rods. The downward motion of the lowering rods iscontrolled by a regulator mechanism. The lowering rods in their downwardmovement are followed by a cam plate which returns the support rods totheir initial position beneath the next article in the stack of articlesbefore the first article is dispensed. The cam plate includes slots forlocking the support rods in place beneath the next article in the stackto prevent jackpotting of the machine should the lowering rods fail toreturn to their upper position.

Heretofore, various mechanisms have been proposed for dispensing onearticle at a time from a vertical stack of articles, such articles beingbottles, cans, cartons, and the like, hereinafter referred to forconvenience as botties. In most of these prior devices the bottle afterdispensing is permitted to fall by gravity to position accessible to theuser of the mechanism. Considerable damage to the bottles has beenexperienced by reason of this free gravity fall.

The present dispensing mechanism not only dispenses but one bottle at atime from a vertical stack of bottles while preventing removal of morethan one bottle at a time from the mechanism but also controls thedownward movement of the released bottle so that the same is deliveredto position accessible to the user of the mechanism with minimum freefall and without damage to the bottle.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novelcam mechanism for dispensing a single bottle at a time from a verticalstack of bottles in which a lock plate is moved when the mechanism isactuated, as by the deposit of a coin, to release bottle support rodswhich move to permit the bottle to rest upon bottle lowering rods.Downward movement of the lowering rods is controlled by a regulatormechanism so that the bottle moves to dispensing position at acontrolled rate, the downward movement of the lowering rods beingfollowed by a cam plate to cam the bottle support rods to positionbeneath the next bottle in the stack and to lock the bottle support rodsunder this next bottle until the lock plate returns to locking positionthus preventing jack-potting of the mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a cam platedispensing mechanism in which the downward movement of the lowering rodsis controlled by a flexible inextensible element which is normallytensioned beneath the lowering rods but is progressively released duringthe dispensing cycle to permit the lowering rods to move to dispensingposition. The element is then retensioned to return the lowering rods totheir upper stand-by position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a cam platedispensing mechanism which is positive and certain in its operation;which is reasonably inexpensive to manufacture and to maintain; andwhich is suitable for use with each of a plurality of vertical side byside Patented Mar. 3t l di stacks of bottles in a dispenser, the controlmechanism for the lowering rods then being common to all of themechanisms.

Other and further objects of the present invention will appear from thefollowing description of an illustrative embodiment thereof.

The present invention is capable of various mechanical embodiments apreferred embodiment being shown in the accompanying drawings and isdescribed hereinafter to illustrate the invention. This illustrative andpreferred embodiment should not be construed as defining or limiting theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like reference charactersindicate like parts, FIG. 1 is a front view of an illustrative andpreferred embodiment of the cam plate dispensing mechanism of thepresent invention together with a regulator for the movement of thelowering rods, one stack only of bottles being shown, it beingunderstood that a plurality of stacks of bottles may be arranged in sideby side relationship with a dispensing mechanism for each stack;

FIG. 2 is a side view in section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 on the line2-2, thereof;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the latch plate liftedand the support rods withdrawn;

FIG. 4 is a view in section of the embodiment of FIG. 3 on the line i-4thereof;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the latch plate lifted;the support rods withdrawn; and the cam plate and lowering rods movedpartially downward and showing the position of the regulator during thisportion of the cycle of operation;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 with the cam plate inposition to move the support rods back to their initial position and tolock them there; with the lowering rods approaching bottle dispensingposition with the regulator controlling the downward movement of thelowering rods and the cam plate;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing the mechanism inbottle dispensing position;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a detail of the embodiment of FIG. 1showing the relationship of one set of support and lowering rods;

FIGS. 9 is a partial view of a modified cam plate having a latch andlowering bar leveler to compensate for bottles of varying diameters; and

FIG. 10 is an expanded view of a modified construction having a separatelock plate, lowering rod leveling plate and cam plate with a support rodlatch on the leveling plate.

Referring now to the several figures, the mechanism is provided with aface plate or front wall 10 of suitable length to accommodate as manystacks of bottles as may be desired, one such stack of bottles onlybeing shown but it being understood that the break at 11 indicates theinclusion of a plurality of side by side stacks of bottles. Front walllid is provided with upper forwardly extending flange l2 and lowerforwardly extending flange 13, these flanges being suitably slotted at14 and 15, respectively, to slideably receive lock plate ltd. Flanges l2and 13 are also slotted at 17 and 18, respectively, to receive cam plate19. Lock plate 16 is cut away at 2% to clear solenoid 21 which ismounted on front wall 10. Cam plate 19 is cut away at 22 to receivesolenoid 21 so that both cam plate re and lock plate 16 can reciprocatevertically in their respective slots in flanges l2 and 13. Lock plate tois also cut away at 23 and is provided with spaced shoulders 24 and 25for purposes which will hereinafter be described. Cam plate 19 isslotted at 26 as will be more fully described hereinafter and is offsetat 27 to provide downwardly extending portions 28 and 29.

Portion 28 is provided with cans surface 36 and portion 29 is providedwith cam surface 31. Slot extends cam surface 30 and slot 33 extends camsurface 31, all for purposes more fully described hereinafter.

Solenoid 21 is provided with armature 34 which is connected at 35 tolock plate 16.

Suitable partitions 36 and 37 are mounted between front wall 16 and backwall 38 to provide a bin for the bottles in vertical stack, the bottlesbeing generally indicated at 3% An arm 40 is pivotally mounted at 41 onthe front of wall 10 and support rod 42 passes through and is secured toan end thereof. Rod 42. extends through an arcuate groove 43 in wall 16to rear wall 38 where it is secured to arm 46 which is pivoted to wall33 at 65. Arm 42 can therefore swing from its position as shown in FIG.1 in counterclockwise movement to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Asuitable spring 44 is secured to rod 42 to move the same, when released,in counterclockwise rotation.

An arm 45 is also mounted on pivot 41 and receives and holds loweringrod 46. Rod 46 passes through wall 10 and is arranged for downwardclockwise rotary n1ovement in arcuate slot 57 therein. Rod 46 extends toback wall 38 and is secured to arm 43 which in turn is mounted on pivot45. Lowering rod 46 is extended to pass through and for engagement inslot 26.

A second support rod 50 is mounted opposite support rod 42. An arm 51supports rod 50 and is pivoted to front wall ltl at 52. Rod 50 extendsthrough front wall it in slot 53 and a spring 54 connected to rod 50urges rod 50 to be released in clockwise rotation as seen in FIG. 1. Rod56 extends to rear wall 38 where it is provided with an arm similar toarm 44 which arm is in turn pivoted to back wall 38.

A second lowering rod 55 is mounted opposite lowering rod 46 and extendsthrough slot 26 and through arcuate slot 56 in wall it). Rod 55 issupported by arm 57 which is pivotally mounted on pivot 52. Rod 55extends to rear wall 38 where it is supported by an arm similar to arm48 which in turn is pivotally mounted on rear wall 38.

A flexible non-extensible element such as chain 53 is secured to frontwall 10 at 59 and passes over spaced pins or rollers 60 to 61 and issecured at its other end 62 to arm or disc 63. Disc 63 is mounted onshaft 64 of electrio motor 65 and motor 65 is suitably mounted on orbehind front wall 10 as by bracket 66. In the stand-by position of theapparatus as shown in FIG. 1 element 58' is under tension and passesbeneath and supports lowering rods 46 and 55 and extends between frontwall 10 and lock plate 16. Lowering rods 46 and 55 are thereforeretained in upper position by element or chain 58 and in turn hold camplate 19 in upper position as seen in FIG. 1. As indicated above, thepresent mechanism is particularly suitable for coin actuation wherebyupon the deposit of a suitable coin a single bottle is dispensed fromthe selected stack of bottles. Any suitable and well known type of coinreceiving mechanism can be employed which upon depositof the coin closesan electric circuit through wires 67 and 65 to solenoid 21 and at thesame time energizes electric motor 65 solenoid 21 being deenergizedafter approximately 5 rotation of motor 65. Electric motor 65, uponenergization, makes but one complete revolution of plate 63 incounterclockwise rotation as seen in FIG. 1 from the position shown inFIG. 1 tensioning element 56 through bottle dispensing position shown inFIG. 7 and return to the position of FIG. 1 with element 58 again undertension. 7JimmyHoward45l39DayPatsMarch8 Assuming now that the embodimentof the present invention as shown in the drawings is in stand-byposition as seen inrFlG. l with support rods 42 and 50 locked inposition by shoulders 24 and 25 of lock plate 16 and with lowering rods46 and engaged in slot raised to their upper position by element 53.When a coin is deposited solenoid 21 is energized raising armature 34which, in turn, raises lock plate 16. Shoulders 24 and 25 of lock plate16 then disengage from rods 56 and 42, respectively, so that springs 54and 44, respectively, move rods 50 and 42 away from each other andbeneath the shoulders of lock plate 16. Movement of rods 56 and 42 apartpermits bottle 39 to move downwardly onto lowering rods 46 and 55. Lockplate 16 cannot return to its lower locking position since it is restingupon rods 4-2 and 59. This portion of the cycle of the mechanism is seenin FIGS. 3 and 4, it being particularly noted in FIG. 3 that plate 16rests on rods 42 and 50.

When solenoid 21 is energized, mot-or 65 is also energized and commencesrotation of disc 63, solenoid being deenergized after approximately 5rotation of motor 65. Since element 58 extends beneath lowering rods 46and 55, lowering rods 46 and 55 can move downwardly under the weight ofbottle 39 only as slack is provided for element 58. As lowering rods 46and 55 descend they are maintained in parallel relationship by slot 26in cam plate 19. By reason of engagement of rods 46 and 55 in slot 26,0am plate 19 follows nods 46 and 55 downwardly. Movement of cam plate 19downwardly brings cam surfaces 36 and 31 into engagement with supportrods 50 and 42, respectively. This stage of the cycle of operation ofthe present mechanism is seen in PEG. 5 where rods 50 and 42 have beenengaged by the cam surfaces 30 and 31, respectively, for movement towardtheir initial positions. Further downward movement of cam plate 19 asmore slack is provided element 58 moves rods 56 and 42 to their initialpositions and beneath the next bottle 39 in the stack. As rods 56 and 42move from beneath the shoulders on lock plate 16, lock plate 16 falls sothat shoulders 24. and 25 engage behind rods 56 and 42, respectively, to

lock them in position and prevent release of the next 7 bottle 3?. Thisstage of the cycle of the mechanism is shown in FIG. 6 where it will benoted that slots 32 and 33 in cam plate 19 also receive rods 56 and 42,respectively, to lock them in position to prevent jack-potting of themachine should lock plate '16 fail to return to locking position. Itshould also be noted from FIG. 6 that lowering rods 46 and 55 are nowmoving apart in slot 26 preparatory to dispensing bottle 39 restingthereon.

Further rotation of disc 63 providing additional slack for element 58permits rods 46 and 55 to move further apart in slot 26 by reason of theweight of bottle 39 thereon thus moving cam plate 19 to its lowermostposition as seen in FIG. 7. When rods 46 and 55 approach the ends ofslot 26 bottle 59 resting on rods 46 and 55 passes between them andmoves to dispensing position. At this time in the cycle of operation ofthe mechanism disc 63 has performed approximately one-half a revolution.

Continuing rotation of disc 63 now retrieves the slack provided toelement 55, and element 58 engaging beneath rods 46 and 55, lift themupwardly and move them toward each other in slot 26. At the same time,cam plate 19 is raised with the upward movement of rods 66 and 55. Camplate 19 continues in upward movement until slots 32 and 33 are raisedabove support rods 42 and 56 so that rods 42 and 50 are locked inposition only by shoulders 24 and 25, respectively, of lock plate 16.Further upward movement of cam plate It? moves cam surfaces 36 and 51;above rods 56 and 42, respectively, until disc 63 reaches its positionof maximum tension upon element 53 at which point energization of motor65 terminates. The mechanism is now in stand-by position and ready forthe next cycle of operation.

The amount of slack provided element 53 by rotation of disc 63 is justsuflicient for downward movement of one pair of lowering rods 66 andWhen a pit-slim of stacks of bottles are provided in the dispenser, eachstack having a cam plate mechanism as above described, but one element58, disc 63 and motor 65 are required.

Another embodiment of the cam plate is shown in FIG. 9. In thisembodiment cam plate 19' has cam surfaces 30 and 31' with notches 32 and3 3 for the purposes above described. A latch 70 is pivoted at 71 toplate 19' and is drawn against stop 72 by spring 73 so that end 74thereof overlies cut away portion 75 through which support rod 50extends when cam plate 19 is in raised and standby position. End 74 isnormally above rod 50 when rod 50 is locked in its standby position asseen in FIG. 1, preventing cam plate 19' from moving downward whenanother dispensing mechanism is energized and member 58, which is commonto all of the dispensing mechanisms, is released to regulate dispensingof the selected mechanism. Latches 79 are used on cam plates 19 when aplurality of dispensing mechanisms are used in side by side relationshipso that member 58 will not require excessive slack for regulation ofdispensing of the selected mechanism.

Plate 19 iscut away at 75 so that rod 50 can move outwardly from beneathsurface 74 when latch plate 16 is raised. Latch 70 cannot interfere withthe normal dispensing actuation of the mechanism.

Cam plate 19' is provided with a slot 26' which is wider than slot 26but functions in the same general way as slot 26. The additional widthfor slot 26' is provided to compensate for variations in the diametersof the bottles being dispensed.

The play provided by the extra width of slot 26' permits bottles oflarger diameter to be dispensed without jamming the mechanism. However,rods 46 and 55 must be maintained in their parallel relationship to keepthe lowermost bottle centered until support rods 50 and 42 are relocked.Leveler plate 76 is provided for this purpose. Plate 76 is provided withgroove 77 in which the ends of rods 46 and 55 are received for slidingmovement. Plate 76 is slotted at 78 and stud '79, which is secured tocam plate 19, passes through slot 78. A suitable keeper 80 holds levelerplate 76 for sliding movement with respect to cam plate 19', groove 77overlying slot 26'. Rods 46 and 55 are therefore given the necessaryplay in slot 26' but are maintained in parallel by groove 77.

In the embodiment of FIG. the support rods 42 and St), the lowering rods46 and 55 and lock plate 16 are arranged as above described for FIGS.1-9. A cam plate 19" is employed similar to cam plate 19 of FIG. 9having cam surfaces 31 and 3%" with looking slot-s 32" and 33" for thepurposes above described for cam surfaces 30 and 3 1 and slots 32 and33. Cam plate 19" is also provided with a slot 26" of extra widthsimilar to slot 26' of FIG. 9 and for the same purpose. Cam plate 19" isprovided with extensions or legs 82 and 83 which slide in slots 84 and85 in flange 13, the upper end of cam plate 19" sliding in slot 17" inflange 12.

Lowering rod leveling plate 86 is provided with extension 87 for slidingengagement in slot 88 of flange 13, leveling plate 86 being positionedbetween lock plate 16 and cam plate 19 and extending upward through slot17 of fiange 12. Leveling slots 89 and 90 are provided in plate 86, slot89 receiving rod 55 and slot 90 receiving rod 46. Surfaces 91 and 92 arealso provided on leveling plate 86, surface 91 being disposed under rod50 and surface 92 being disposed under rod 42 when leveling plate 86 isin raised position. A latch 93, similar to and for the same purposes aslatch 70 described above, is pivotally mounted at 94 on leveling plate86 and is urged by spring 95 against stop 96. The lower end of latch 93is normally above rod 50 when rod 50 is locked in its stand-by positionpreventing leveling plate 86 and also cam plate 19" from moving downwardwhen other dispensing mechanism is energized and member 58, which iscommon to all the dispensing mechanisms is released.

Leveling plate 96 is provided with a pin or roller 97 under which member58 is engaged, member 58 passing over spaced pins or rollers 60 and 61carried by plate 10. This arrangement of rollers 60, 97 and 61 providesfor smooth operation of the apparatus with reduced friction with lessslack required for member 58 during a dispensing cycle.

Slots 89 and maintain lowering rods 46 and 55 in parallel relationshipto keep the lowermost bottle centered until support rods 50 and 42 arerelocked while the extra width of slot 26" permits bottles of largerdiameter to be dispensed without jamming the mechanism.

It should now be apparent that the present invention in every waysatisfies the objectives discussed above.

Changes in or modifications to the above-described illustrativeembodiment of the present invention may now be suggested to thoseskilled in the art without departing from the present invention concept.Reference should therefore be had to the appended claims to determinethe scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dispensing mechanism, a bin for articles in vertical stack, apair of support rods movable mounted beneath the lowermost article insaid bin, a pair of lowering rods beneath said support rods, a lockplate in restraining engagement with said support rods, means for movingsaid lock plate out of restraining engagement with said support rods formovement of said support rods, a cam plate for engaging said supportrods engaged by said lowering rods and regulator means movable beneathand controlling the speed of movement of said lowering rods whereby whensaid support rods are released for movement by weight of the stack ofarticles thereon the article thereon is moved to and is supported bysaid lowering rods and said regulator means permits said lowering rodsto be moved to article dispensing position by the weight of the articleson said lowering rods, said lowering rods moving said cam plate so thatsaid cam surfaces move to position engaging and moving said support rodsto supporting position beneath the next article in the stack when thenext article moves to position adjacent said support rods duringdispensing of the preceding article.

2. Mechanism as described in claim 1 including slots in said cam plateopening into said cam surfaces engaging and restraining said supportrods in supporting position beneath the next article in the stack whensaid lowering rods are in article dispensing position.

3. Mechanism as described in claim 1 including a slot extending acrosssaid cam plate said lowering rods extending through said slot for saidengagement with said cam plate.

4. Mechanism as described in claim 1 including resilient means for saidsupport rods urging said support rods in article release movement.

5. Mechanism as described in claim 1 said means for moving said lockplate comprising a solenoid and an armature for said solenoid connectedto said lock plate.

6. Mechanism as described in claim 1, said regulator means comprising anormally tensioned flexible inextensible element engaging beneath saidlowering rods and motor means for relieving the tension on said element.

7. In a dispensing mechanism, a bin for articles in verticle stack, apair of opposed spaced support rods mounted beneath the lowermostarticle in the stack in said bin for relative movement, resilient meansurging said support rods apart, a lock plate engaging said support rodsand restraining them against movement, means for disengaging said lockplate from said support rods freeing them for relative movement by theweight of the stack of articles thereon, a pair of opposed spacedlowering rods mounted in said bin beneath said support rods receivingthe lowermost article in the stack from said support rods for downwardmovement to article dispensing position, a movable cam plate, means forcoupling said lowering rods to said cam plate, cam surfaces on said camplate for engaging said support rods when said cam plate 17 is moved bythe weight of the stack of articles on said lowering rods for return ofsaid support rods to article support position for the next article inthe stack when said lowering rods are adjacent article dispensingposition and regulator means engaging and controlling the speed ofmovement of said lowering rods.

8. Mechanism as described in claim 7, including slots in said cam plateopening into said cam surfaces engaging and locking said support rods inarticle support position when said lowering rods are adjacent articledispensing position.

9. Mechanism as described in claim 7, said coupling means including aslot extending across said cam plate, said lowering rods extendingthrough said slot.

10. Mechanism as described in claim 7, said means for disengaging saidlock plate comprising a solenoid and an armature for said solenoidconnected to said lock plate, said regulator means comprising a normallytensioned flexible inextensible element engageable beneath said loweringrods and electric motor means for relieving the tension on said element.

11. Mechanism as described in claim 7, including a latch pivoted on saidcam plate and spring means urging said latch to position overlying oneof said support rods whereby said cam plate is held in position withrespect 8 to said support rods until said support rods are disengaged bysaid lock plate.

12. Mechanism as described in claim 9, including a leveling platemounted for movement on said cam plate and a groove in saidleveling'plate overlying said slot and receiving said lowering rods.

13. Mechanism as described in claim 7, including a leveling platebetween said cam plate and said lock plate, a separate slot in saidleveling plate for each of said lowering rods, a latch pivoted on saidleveling plate, spring means urging said latch to position overlying oneof said support rods, said regulator means comprising a normallytensioned flexible inextensible element engaging said leveling plate andelectric motor means for relieving the ten sion on said element. 7

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,509 5/90Hayden 221-298 X 2,081,441 5/37 Willshaw et a1. 221-298 X 2,216,85310/40 Middleton 221-298 X 2,549,082 4/51 Hall 221-298 X EVERETT W.KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0E coREcTTo Patent No. 3,175,728 I I I March 30, 1965 James C. Lindsey et al I It is hereby cer* Ioified that e correction and that Column 3 the said Letters Patentshould read as 69., strike out "7JimmyHoward45l59DayPat sline 22, for"movable" read movably SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER ntcsting Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner ofPatents

1. IN A DISPENSING MECHANISM, A BIN FOR ARTICLES IN VERTICAL STACK, APAIR OF SUPPORT RODS MOVABLE MOUNTED BENEATH THE LOWERMOST ARTICLE INSAID BIN, A PAIR OF LOWERING RODS BENEATH SAID SUPPORT RODS, A LOCKPLATE IN RESTRAINING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SUPPORT RODS, MEANS FOR MOVINGSAID LOCK PLATE OUT OF RESTRAINING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SUPPORT RODS FORMOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORT RODS, A CAM PLATE FOR ENGAGING SAID SUPPORTRODS ENGAGED BY SAID LOWERING RODS AND REGULATOR MEANS MOVABLE BENEATHAND CONTROLLING THE SPEED OF MOVEMENT OF SAID LOWERING RODS WHEREBY WHENSAID SUPPORT RODS ARE RELEASED FOR MOVEMENT BY WEIGHT OF THE STACK OFARTICLES THEREON THE ARTICLE THEREON IS MOVED TO AND IS SUPPORTED BYSAID LOWERING RODS AND SAID REGULATOR MEANS PERMITS AND LOWERING RODS TOBE MOVED TO ARTICLE DISPENSING POSITION BY THE WEIGHT OF THE ARTICLES ONSAID LOWERING RODS, SAID LOWERING RODS MOVING SAID CAM PLATE SO THATSAID CAM SURFACES MOVE TO POSITION ENGAGING AND MOVING SAID SUPPORT RODSTO SUPPORTING POSITION BENEATH THE NEXT ARTICLE IN THE STACK WHEN THENEXT ARTICLE MOVES TO POSITION ADJACENT SAID SUPPORT RODS DURINGDISPENSING OF THE PRECEDING ARTICLE.